Dec2011Commerce by Knoxville Chamber

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CHAMBER

TOP ACHIEVERS

Top Achievers are recognized for their countless volunteer hours and dedication to the Ambassador Program’s mission of serving as an active volunteer extension of the Knoxville Chamber to cultivate, promote, and maintain positive relationships between the Knoxville Chamber, its members, and the community.

The University of Phoenix celebrated the grand opening of its new Knoxville location in November. Mark Amrein, campus director, is pictured center, flanked by Mayor Burchett (left-center) and Rhonda Rice of the Knoxville Chamber (right-center). University executives and employees, friends, and Knoxville Chamber Ambassadors are pictured as well.

The Casual Pint celebrated the grand opening of its new Knoxville location in November. Nathan Robinette, President, is pictured center cutting the ribbon and is joined by associates, family members, friends, and Knoxville Chamber Ambassadors.

JANA DAVISON Humana

facebook.com/KnoxvilleChamber

twitter.com/k_chamber

RENA AMERSON Tillman Companies, LLC

CHAMBER STAFF Doug Lawyer @knoxoakridgeIV Jennifer Evans @knoxevans Kyle Touchstone @knoxecondevguy Mark Field @field101 Michelle Kiely @mkiely1

DANIEL MONDAY Slamdot, Inc.

NEW MEMBERS / NEW PREMIER PARTNERS BRONZE Bernstein, Stair & McAdams LLP (865) 546-8030 www.bsmlaw.com Legal Services: Attorneys Hodges, Doughty & Carson, PLLC (865) 292-2307 www.hdclaw.com Legal Services: Attorneys 18 Karat Model and Talent Management (865) 558-0004 www.18karat.com Event Planning, Catering, & Venues:Talent Agencies A & E Medical Supplies (865) 313-0282 www.ae-med.com Healthcare Providers & Services

Automaxx - Collision & Automotive Repair Center (865) 330-7600 www.automaxxnow.com Automotive Sales, Parts, & Service: Repair & Service Brent Trentham & Associates, Ameriprise Financial Services, INC. (865) 588-4484 www.ameripriseadvisors.com/ brent.l.trentham/profile/ Financial Services: Planning Carrier CPA Firm, PLLC (865) 687-6391 www.carriercpa.com Business & Professional Services: Certified Public Accountants Clayton Inspection Service Inc. (865) 693-7109 www.jacnspx.com Business & Professional Services

Ace Transmission & Automotive Center (865) 524-0011 www.acetransmissionandauto.com Automotive Sales, Parts, & Service

Clinton Bedding Company (865) 463-8330 www.clintonbedding.com Shopping: Furniture

D1 Sports Training & Therapy of Knoxville (865) 622-7117 www.d1sportstraining.com Sports & Recreation: Sports Training

Cohen Communications Group (865) 659-4750 www.cohencommunicationsgroup.com Associations & Organizations

East Tennessee Physician’s Care (865) 525-2121 Healthcare Providers & Services: Chiropractors

Communication Technologies (865) 938-7364 www.commtechtn.com Telecommunications

Environmental Standards, Inc. (865) 376-7590 www.envstd.com/index.html Environmental Services & Equipment: Consultants

ComputerWorks (865) 688-3122 www.cworksonline.com Computer & IT Services

Hantak Home Improvement (865) 824-2822 www.hantaktn.com Construction & Contractors: Roofing

Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch at Oakes Farm (865) 688-6200 www.oakesfarm.com Florists, Nurseries & Garden Centers

Knoxville Seniors Guide (865) 898-8060 Business & Professional Services: Advertising Mike Baker Insurance Consulting (865) 399-0518 Insurance

Nationwide Insurance - Myra West Agency (865) 851-9664 Insurance Nori Noodle & Sushi Bar (865) 765-0316 www.noriknoxville.com Restaurants - Eating & Drinking Places Oakes Daylilies (865) 687-3770 www.oakesdaylilies.com Florists, Nurseries & Garden Centers OnePartner (423) 863-8708 www.onepartner.com Computer & IT Services Paul Mitchell The School - Knoxville (865) 966-0400 www.knoxville.paulmitchell.edu/knoxville-tn Personal Services: Salons & Spas Quality Roofing Service, Inc. (865) 309-7441 www.qualityroofingservice.com Construction & Contractors: Roofing

CONTACT THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER (865) 637-4550 www.knoxvillechamber.com

FINANCE & OPERATIONS ljohnson@knoxvillechamber.com

THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (865) 546-5887

MEMBERSHIP mfield@knoxvillechamber.com

PRESIDENT & CEO MICHAEL EDWARDS

DESIGN LADDY FIELDS

WORKFORCE & EDUCATION jevans@knoxvillechamber.com

TENNESSEE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (865) 246-2663

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RHONDA RICE

WRITER ANTHONY WELSCH

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT dlawyer@knoxvillechamber.com

CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (865) 246-2654 mhummel@downtownknoxville.org

THE KNOXVILLE CHAMBER’S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

EDITOR LORI FULLER editorial@knoxvillechamber.com

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 44

LEADERSHIP KNOXVILLE (865) 523-9137 U.S. DEPT. OF COMMERCE EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTER (865) 545-4637

Rooftop Construction Residential & Commercial (865) 313-0275 www.rooftopconstruction.com Construction & Contractors: Roofing Tennessee Beverage, LLC (865) 607-7430 www.onetenhydrade.com Food & Beverage The Knoxville Photo Booth Company (865) 603-4900 www.knoxvillephotoboothcompany.com Photography The Listening Center (865) 357-7111 www.tlcknoxville.com Education & Training Turkey Creek Tinting (865) 288-7150 www.turkeycreektinting.com Automotive Sales, Parts, & Service

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

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During the 2010-11 fiscal year, the Knoxville Chamber launched new products and services, aggressively advocated for pro-business policies, pursued new businesses, and helped existing businesses grow – it’s been a great year. In 2009, the board of directors cast a vision for transforming the organization into one that aggressively delivers member benefits and vigorously represents the business community. We are actively pursuing the goal of making Knoxville America’s Best Business Address® by implementing a detailed strategic plan. The plan allows the staff and board to closely monitor progress and measure the effectiveness of Chamber initiatives. Two new initiatives launched this year are Chamber Member MD® and iKnowKnoxville.com. The one-of-a-kind business analysis tool allows companies to identify strengths and weaknesses and includes an individualized prescription to address areas of concern. The Chamber’s online, interactive directory allows members to better market their products and services to other businesses, residents, and visitors. Its use has grown dramatically throughout the year. In August, the American Chamber of Commerce Executives named the Knoxville Chamber the 2011 Chamber of the Year. This award is recognition of our ability to innovate. However, this isn’t an end. Winning the Chamber of the Year award validates the work we have done and will inspire the Chamber’s fantastic staff to push harder. The Knoxville Chamber is also Chamber of the Year because of its outstanding members. Companies from across the region – both large and small – are committed to making Knoxville a thriving business community and are committed to supporting this organization. I hope you are proud of your investment in the Knoxville Chamber. The organization, the board of directors, and I are serious about helping you grow your business. Please take full advantage of all the Chamber’s member benefits and call on us to help whenever we can. Sincerely,

Mitch Steenrod Chairman, Board of Directors

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 45

HIGHLIGHTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS • The Knoxville Chamber received a Four-Star Accreditation from the US Chamber of Commerce. This was the first time the Chamber applied for accreditation and receiving this high grade is a testament to the effort of the staff, board, and volunteers. • Chamber Member MD® was launched to member and non-member businesses in the region. The business analysis tool helps to identify a company’s strengths and weaknesses and provides an individualized plan for making each business stronger. No other chamber in the country has a similar product or service. • iKnowKnoxille.com was introduced to the Knoxville marketplace. The interactive, online business directory allows Chamber members to have detailed listings, post coupons, and include multimedia functions. Visits to the website have increased steadily throughout the year. • The Knoxville Chamber nominated eleven businesses for the US Chamber DREAM BIG Small Business Award and ten applied. For the second year the Knoxville area had several companies recognized, including: a Regional Finalist for DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, Prestige Cleaners; Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winners, ES&H, Inc., Hedstrom Design LLC, Partners Development, and Prestige Cleaners, Inc.; Free Enterprise Honorees, Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation, Knowledge Launch, and Knoxville Comprehensive Breast Center.

PRESENTED BY:

• The Chamber continued to produce many outstanding events including the Pinnacle Business Awards and Schmoozapoloza. In addition, it increased the number of legislative- and government-related events including a breakfast with Governor Haslam and lunch with Senator Corker.

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• The Chamber neared the completion and deployment of the Education Management Information System (EMIS) it has been developing with Knox County Schools. This resource allows teachers to track the progress of each student and administrators the ability to create accurate budgets. • The Chamber amplified the voice of the business community on many government and policy issues. It continues to be one of the leading voices on education and is influencing other legislative items in Nashville. The organization led the effort to delay, reconsider, and amend the Metropolitan Planning Commission proposed Hillside and Ridgetop Protection Plan. • Through the Chamber’s economic development program, Innovation Valley®, marketing our region continued at an aggressive pace that included twenty-three outbound missions for face-to-face interaction with site selection consultants and corporate real estate executives. • Existing businesses were supported through 242 on-site meetings as part of the Chamber’s Technology Mining and Matching and Business Retention and Expansion efforts. • The Chamber’s PROPEL Program that supports small, woman, veteran, and minorityowned business development efforts had 172 companies that participated in business visioning sessions. • The Chamber remained engaged in raising awareness on the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in our region’s workforce. • The Chamber led the Educators in the Workplace Program, which allowed 102 regional educators to visit area businesses and experience how classroom skills are applied in the workplace.

YEAR-END REPORT CARD

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 47

YEAR-END REPORT CARD continued BECOME THE LEADING MARKET IN THE SOUTHEAST FOR NEW BUSINESS RECRUITMENT

• Experienced more than 73,000 views on iKnoxKnoxville.com promo pages between Nov. 10 and June 30. These pages contain detailed information about Chamber member businesses including location, hours of operation, specials and coupons, and contact information. Many members use the sites multimedia features, such as video posting, to attract customers.

• During the year, new businesses had a capital investment of $59,650,000 and announced 183 new jobs in the Innovation Valley region.

• Managed 25 mentor/protégé partnerships, which allow small, minority-, and womenowned businesses to benefit from the advice and experience of established companies.

• Investments by existing businesses totaled $174,233,492, and those companies added 2,026 new jobs.

• Saw a steady increase in the number of participants downloading Chamber Member MD® content.

• In an effort to promote Innovation Valley assets to potential new businesses in targeted industries, economic development professionals attended 17 trade shows and events including Center for Auto Research, CoreNet, IEDC, TEICC, Jones Lange LaSalle, Renewable Energy World, Roundtable for Site Consultants, TEDC, TN Next Conference, and SEDC Meet the Consultants.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration presented the Tennessee Minority Small Business Champion of the Year award to Doug Minter for his hard work on the Propel program.

• Meetings were held in DC with EPA, as well as with local environmental engineering firms to discuss regional air quality issues. During the year the Knoxville region reached attainment for ozone quality. This designation will make the permitting process easier for expanding companies. • Chamber launched and completed an airfare survey of members. In total over 80 companies responded and the staff continues to work with the East Tennesseans for Airline Competition to attract new airlines and retain those currently servicing TYS.

BECOME THE LEADING PLACE TO START AND GROW A BUSINESS IN THE SOUTHEAST • Produced 72 member-driven events, a 22 percent increase. More than 8,300 businesspeople registered for those events, a 28 percent increase over total registrants during the prior fiscal year. • Launched Social Media for Business Seminar, a four-part professional development series focused on utilizing social media as a marketing tool for business. The popular series attracted over 300 registrants. • Averaged 39 registrants and a 4.70 overall satisfaction rating for Bright Ideas events, a monthly educational seminar series. Ratings are based on a five-point scale where five is the highest level of satisfaction. • Celebrated the seventh annual Pinnacle Business Awards with nearly 600 businesspeople in attendance and introduced an online nomination, application, and judging process using Bluegill Creative’s Show of Hands software. The 2011 winners were Covenant Health; TracLok; Sword & Shield Security Enterprises, LLC; Pershing, Yoakley & Associates; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; HME, Inc.; Mahasti Vafaie of The Tomato Head; Brian Winter of Pyxl, Inc.; and Jim Clayton.

BECOME THE NATIONAL LEADER IN SKILLED AND EDUCATED WORKFORCE • Helped to create more than 75 business-education partnerships including participants in the Knox County Schools Tech Plan, the Big Read, and the Virtual Enterprise Business Plan competition. • Supported the new Knox County Schools STEM Academy, which was supported through Race to the Top funding. • Served on the steering committee and as judges for the inaugural Smoky Mountain FIRST Robotics Competition, which was held in Knoxville. Founded by Dean Kamen, inventor and entrepreneur, the competition inspires young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills. • Formed an advisory panel and applied to compete in the Talent Dividend Initiative for a $1 million prize awarded to the region that produces the most college grads over the next five years. • Assisted Vols4STEM place 500 math and science teachers in area science, technology, engineering, and math companies for an April in-service training, which allowed educators to better understand how professionals apply the concepts they teach. • Worked with the Knoxville Area Employment Consortium’s Business Advisory Council to increase participation in Disability Mentoring Day from 9 companies in 2009 to 23 in 2010. • Mike Edwards, president & CEO, was appointed to Tennessee Board of Education.

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BECOME THE REGION’S MOST EFFECTIVE VOICE FOR BUSINESS • Energized the Chamber’s government relations committee, which resulted in a more engaged committee and membership during the state legislative session and regarding the local issues of importance to the business community. • Provided a reasoned justification for approving the proposed Midway Business Park and managed a strong grassroots campaign to share the message and combat misperceptions of area residents. • Contributed to the defeat of a bill in the General Assembly to allow the election of local school superintendents. Supported tenure reform and teacher evaluation efforts and helped lobby for tort reform. • Held the first legislative reception hosted by the Big 4 Chambers of Commerce. This group of major metropolitan chambers speak forcefully for the business interests in Tennessee major cities. The reception was an opportunity to reinforce the group’s identity to state leaders. • Helped a total of 298 new members join the Chamber and experienced an 84 percent rate of members renewing their memberships.

ESTABLISH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUPPORT NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE STATUS AS AMERICA’S BEST BUSINESS ADDRESS® • The Chamber ended the 2010-11 fiscal year with net income from continuing operations before depreciation expense of $30,839. • Designed and implemented a new Knoxville Chamber brand. The logo emphasizes the unique geographical location of Knoxville and pays tribute to the business and research assets of the region. • Partnered with Workspace Interiors to develop a conference room into the Collaboratory. This unique space is organized to encourage users to creatively interact and includes a multiport computer system and web conferencing capabilities. • The Chamber developed an app to allow mobile device users to quickly access information about the organization, register for events, and search the iKnowKnoxville.com interactive membership directory.

• The American Chamber of Commerce Executives recognized Ashleigh Adkins as the ninth ranked sales executive in the country and she received the Gold Circle of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award for helping 1,000 members join during her eight years with the Knoxville Chamber. • Submitted the extensive application for the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Chamber of the Year award. It included the review of new products and services, member benefits, economic development activities, and business practices. After the end of the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the Knoxville Chamber was selected as the 2011 Chamber of the Year in the largest category.

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 49

PREMIER PARTNERS AS OF NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Clayton Homes, Inc. Covenant Health Elavon First Tennessee Knoxville Utilities Board KNS Media Group Pilot Flying J Regions Bank Tennessee Valley Authority Tennova Healthcare University Health System, Inc. The University of Tennessee

AT&T BB&T Comcast Denark Construction, Inc. Home Federal Bank of Tennessee SunTrust Bank, East Tennessee TeamHealth

21st Mortgage Corporation Aqua-Chem, Inc. B&W Technical Services Y-12 L.L.C. Belk, Inc. - West Town Mall Cellular Sales of Knoxville, Inc. East Tennessee Children’s Hospital Edfinancial Services EnergySolutions Gerdau Jewelry Television K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. Lawler-Wood, LLC ORNL Federal Credit Union Pepsi Beverages Company Phillips & Jordan, Inc. Pinnacle Financial Partners Summit Medical Group, PLLC UT-BATTELLE, LLC/ORNL Utilities Management Federation, Inc. WSI Oak Ridge

Alcoa, Inc. ADT Security Services Alcoa, Inc. All Occasion Catering, LLC Alliance Sotheby’s International Realty

Alstom Power Barge, Waggoner, Sumner & Cannon, Inc. Blaine Construction Corporation Bush Brothers & Company Capital Financial Group, LLC Cherokee Distributing Co., Inc. Coldwell Banker Wallace & Wallace - Bearden Hill Corporate Quarters, Inc. Elite Corporate Suites, Inc. Emerson Process Management Engert Plumbing & Heating, Inc. - Mechanical Contractors Exedy America Corporation First Utility District of Knox County Fluor Green Mountain Coffee Roasters The H. T. Hackney Company Holston Gases, Inc. Humana IT eXpertise Johnson & Galyon, Inc. Kramer Rayson LLP Mercedes Benz of Knoxville Messer Construction Company Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority NAI Knoxville Commercial Real Estate OrthoTennessee Radio Systems Corporation Regal Entertainment Group Reily Foods Co. The Relocation Division for Realty Executives Rentenbach Engineering Company Rogers Group, Inc. Rufus H. Smith, Jr. & Co., Inc Scripps Networks South College Stowers Machinery Corporation TIS Insurance Services, Inc. U.S. Cellular U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Office UCOR University of Phoenix - Knoxville Campus USEC Inc. Vulcan Materials Company Wal-Mart Store #2065 WBIR-TV White Realty and Service Corporation Willis Wood Properties, Inc. Yale Locks & Hardware

AAA East Tennessee Ackermann PR A-D Technologies AGC Flat Glass North America Allegiant Athletic Agency AON - Risk Services Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant Arby’s Roast Beef Restaurant ARG Financial Staffing Bacon & Company, Inc.

Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC BankEast BarberMcMurry Architects Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC Bechtel Jacobs Company Belew Drug, Inc. Bernstein, Stair & McAdams LLP Bertelkamp Automation, Inc. Blackberry Farm BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee BPV Wealth Management Brent Trentham & Associates, Ameriprise Financial Services, INC. Brogan Financial, Inc. Brownlee Properties BSA LifeStructures, Inc. Cannon & Cannon, Inc. CapitalMark Bank & Trust Champion Roofing & Siding Commercial & Investment Properties Connor Concepts, Inc. Consolidated Products, Incorporated Cooper Realty Investments, Inc. Copper Cellar Family of Restaurants Coulter & Justus, P.C. Crowe Horwath LLP Dealers Warehouse Corporation Delta-21 Resources, Inc. Design Innovations Architects, Inc. The Dow Chemical Company Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis, P.C. Elder Advocates Van Elkins & Associates, CPAs Enterprise Rent-A-Car EPRI ES&H, Inc. Furrow Auction Company Gallaher & Associates, Inc. Great West Casualty Company Gulf & Ohio Railways Hallsdale Powell Utility District Hampton Inn & Suites - Downtown Knoxville Hodges, Doughty & Carson, PLLC IFS Group, LLC Igawaga, Inc. Image Matters, Inc. Inter-Agency Insurance Service, Inc. Kimberly-Clark Corporation Knology of Knoxville Knoxville Area Association of Realtors Knoxville Marriott Hotel Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation Lamar Outdoor Advertising LBMC, P.C. The Legacy Centre for Family Business and Entrepreneurship Leibowitz Law Firm, PLLC Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C. Lincoln Memorial University Louisville Tile Distributors Lunchbox Event Catering Luxottica Optical Manufacturing N.A. Martin & Company, Inc. McKibbon Hotel Management Melaleuca

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 50

Merit Construction, Inc. Moore Freight Service, Inc. Morgan Keegan Morris Creative Group, LLC Moxley Carmichael NES Rentals North Cedar Hospitality, LLC Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Nyrstar Tennessee Mines Odom Construction Systems, Inc. Office Depot Paper Solutions The Park Vista a DoubleTree by Hilton Parker Business Consulting & Accounting, PC Partners Development Pellissippi State Community College Pershing Yoakley & Associates, P.C. PME Communications Premier Surgical Associates, PLLC-Corporate Office Prestige Cleaners, Inc. Pro2Serve Professional Project Services, Inc. Provision Health Alliance Pugh & Company, P.C. J. S. Ridenour Construction, Inc. RIVR Media, LLC Rodefer Moss & Company, PLLC Rowe Transfer Scarecrow Foundation, Inc. Schaad Companies SecureWatch Shoney’s of Knoxville, Inc. StaffingSolutions/Employbridge Companies The Stokely Company Stoller Studio Four Design, Inc. Sustainable Future, LLC Sword & Shield Enterprise Security, Inc. Synergy Business Environments Sysco Knoxville, LLC Talbots Customer Service Center Target Marketing Tennessee National Private Golf & Residential Community Thermocopy of Tennessee, Inc. Threds, Inc. Tindell’s, Inc. Titanic Museum Attraction Toyota/Lexus of Knoxville Triton Stone Group of Knoxville The Trust Company Turkey Creek Land Partners UBS Financial Services, Inc. The University of Tennessee Athletic Department Volcue, LLC The Wakefield Corporation Wal-Mart Store #1318 Wal-Mart Store #1319 Wal-Mart Store #1320 Waste Connections of Tennessee, Inc. Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Tennessee, Inc. Woolf, McClane, Bright, Allen & Carpenter, PLLC Xpress Paper & Chemical, LLC

Volunteers needed for robotics competition This spring will mark the second year Knoxville’s Convention Center hosts a FIRST Robotics regional competition, bringing hundreds of bright, young, technical minds to town. With dozens of teams expected, it also takes a massive volunteer effort to help coordinate everything that goes into the four-day competition. FIRST is an acronym that means For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. The non-profit inspires high school students to pursue careers in science and technology by elevating the fields with sports-like competitions. Competition coordinators are looking for volunteers to help with everything from inspecting robots prior to the competition to announcing. Last year marked the first year Knoxville hosted the competition and 46 teams competed. Each team receives financial and intellectual assistance from

local STEM companies. The competition is centered on robots picking up and hanging inflatable shapes on poles. Winning teams from the regional advance to the world competition at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. Seven Knoxville-area high schools will be participating in the competition: Farragut, Hardin Valley, Gibbs, L&N STEM Academy, Oak Ridge, Webb, and Catholic. If you are interested in more information about supporting the event or volunteering, please contact LJ Robinson at LJRobinsonIII@aol.com

Ramsey Brings Red Tape Tour to Knoxville Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey is on a mission to identify and eliminate red tape. The goal is to eliminate hassles that Tennessee businesses deal with everyday – hassles that keep them from completing projects and creating jobs. From permitting delays to inconsistent enforcement, Ramsey is soliciting stories from Tennesseans and will turn those problems into legislative solutions. Ramsey and his staff are already drafting legislation to address workers’ compensation and unemployment issues. He recently spoke to a group of nearly 50 businesspeople at the Knoxville Chamber about the effort and heard several stories about their problems. Businesspeople are also encouraged to visit www.tnredtape.com and share their issues.

Mentor/Protégé Program Accepting Applications The Knoxville Chamber is accepting applications for its third class in the Propel Mentor/Protégé Program which is designed to help “propel” area small businesses to success. Propel aligns large established firms from the Knoxville Chamber’s Premier Partner membership with small businesses in the Innovation Valley area to foster economic development. To date, the program is credited with creating 50 new jobs in East Tennessee and fostering $21 million in direct economic impact. “I think it has exceeded expectations,” Doug Minter, the Knoxville Chamber’s Business Development Manager said. “It’s difficult, it’s not easy. This is real business.” There is space for about ten new protégés and mentors in the 2012 class. Minter, who manages the program, wants to especially encourage minorityled and rural-based firms to apply. “When we look at the disparity of jobs, we see the highest unemployment rates in the urban minority communities as well as our rural areas. However, some of the best innovation in the history of business has come from minorities and rural businesses,” Minter said. Protégés and mentors are expected to spend about two hours each

month with one another discussing a set objective that the small business has identified as an area they hope to improve. The protégés also attend Strategic Management Learning System classes once per month. “It’s basically a MBA crash course, covering issues like marketing and cash flow,” Minter said. While protégés receive world-class guidance, mentors also rave about the program. It’s a chance for many of them to relive their days as a growing organization and get back to focusing on the roots of what made their own business successful in the first place. “Business to business mentoring is the purest, most altruistic form of mentoring you can have. It creates new economic development,” Minter said. “Here, we’re actually adding new economic development. If we can take a company and they can mentor a small company and they grow, that creates new money and that’s economic development.” If you’re a Premier Partner of the Knoxville Chamber and would like to be a mentor or if you’re interested in applying to be a protégé, please contact Doug Minter at the Knoxville Chamber at dminter@knoxvillechamber.com or (865) 246-2662. Applications are also available on the “Propel” page of the Knoxville Chamber’s website.

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PREMIER PARTNER PROFILE

Gerdau Gerdau is the leader in long steel production in the Americas and one of the largest suppliers of special steels in the world. In May 2011, the company marked its 110th anniversary, celebrating with its 45,000 employees, in their respective countries, a successful track record focused on the quality of its products and services and the excellence of its management processes. Gerdau’s history began in 1901 as a small nail factory in Porto Alegre, Brazil, called Pontas de Paris. Today, the company has industrial operations in 14 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, with an installed capacity exceeding 25 million metric tons of steel per year. Gerdau is also the largest recycler in Latin America, and it transforms millions of tons of scrap into steel around the world every year. In 1994, Gerdau took over operations of the Knoxville steel mill that has been in the Lonsdale community for more than 109 years under various names and owners. Gerdau is one of the largest steel recyclers in Tennessee. In 2010 it shipped a record-breaking 523,000 tons of recycled steel. Additionally, the mill recycled over 97 percent of its 76,211 tons of byproducts and waste materials in 2010. The mill is recycling steel from downtown’s Henley Street bridge refurbishment and will supply recycled steel as the bridge is rebuilt. In 2011, Gerdau’s Knoxville mill again earned the ISO 14001 certification, an international distinction that recognizes the mill’s environmental management system. The mill first pursued and achieved the voluntary certification in 2007. Gerdau is located on 1919 Tennessee Avenue. It employs 237 people; John Miller serves as division manager.

Bryan College Welcomes Business Community to West Knoxville Campus Bryan College welcomed the business community to its new West Knoxville campus at Seven Oaks Shopping Center on November 10. Attendees had the chance to network in Bryan College’s stateof-the-art facility while enjoying breakfast prepared by catering sponsor All Occasion Catering. Door Prizes were awarded to the following individuals at the event: Bryan College flash drives, courtesy of Bryan College: Viren Lalka, Lalka Tax Services, LLC Dan Rawls, BNI $50 Giftcard to Outback Steakhouse, courtesy of Bryan College: Leon Spencer, Mediablox

TOP: David Montgomery of Bryan College welcomes a.m. Exchange attendees BOTTOM: Chamber Ambassador Daniel Monday (left) greets Rob Nilmeier of BMC (right)

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

KNOXVILLE CHAMBER 52

Director of Membership Development Michelle Kiely presents Vice President of Finance & Administration Larry Johnson with October’s Chamber Employee of the Month award

Knoxville Chamber, Innovation Valley named partners to Entrepreneurial Accelerator Project The Knoxville Chamber and Innovation Valley are providing support to a new state initiative to assist start-ups get their businesses up and running. In November, Governor Bill Haslam and Tennessee’s Department of Economic Development announced $250,000 in grant funding for nine entrepreneurial accelerators across the state. The accelerators will be established to provide mentoring, education, strategic and technical support, and help entrepreneurs identify sources of capital. “The Regional Entrepreneurial Accelerators will be an incredible asset throughout Tennessee to help aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses with expert mentoring and support,” Haslam said. “Startup companies have the potential to be a significant source of job creation, and we want to give local entrepreneurs their best chances for success as we work to make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.” East Tennessee’s entrepreneurial accelerator will be housed in the University of Tennessee’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Knoxville Chamber and Innovation Valley will provide support on the project. The accelerators are expected to become a foundational component of the region’s economic development strategy. Multiple reviewers judged each application and assigned a score based on how effectively it responded to the program criteria. The grant funding is a combination of state and federal dollars and contingent upon each accelerator providing at minimum an additional $250,000 in local matching support.

Regional Legislative Agenda Breakfast Scheduled for January 6 Just after the holidays, Tennessee lawmakers will report back to Nashville on January 10 for the start of 2012’s legislative season. Before the elected officials go, the Knoxville, Blount, and Oak Ridge Chamber’s are hosting a morning breakfast to set this year’s Regional Legislative Agenda. Members and non-members are invited to attend the breakfast on January 6 at the Knoxville Marriott starting at 7:30 a.m.

LEADERSHIP PROFILE

James “JT” Thome Cellular Sales Chief Operating Officer

Through the open door to JT Thome’s office at Cellular Sales, it’s tough not to notice a map of the United States punctured by pushpins. Tiny red and white dots signifying hundreds of Verizon retail stores the Knoxville-based company has opened across the country. With almost 200% growth over the past three years, it’s safe to say Cellular Sales is doing something right for its customers. “We’re one of the fastest growing brick and mortar retail companies in the country,” Thome, the Chief Operating Officer at Cellular Sales said. “We just opened up our first store in Oregon so we’re officially coast-to-coast as well.” Thome just celebrated his one-year anniversary with Cellular Sales. Self-described as “an internet start-up guy”, Thome’s experience as an e-commerce executive at companies like WebMD, Jewelry Television, and Textbooks.com contrasts with Cellular Sales’ incredible brick and mortar growth. “I’m learning every day, and frankly that was one of the big attractions in coming to Cellular Sales,” the West Point graduate and Emory MBA said. “It’s funny, I’ve found most of what I’ve done with my career is absolutely applying here at Cellular Sales.” Thome tackles three main areas for the privately owned company: protecting the current business by providing support to the sales staff in the field, finding new sources of revenue that benefit both the customer and the company, and looking for efficiencies as the company grows. “Companies have to plan for this sort of growth, it doesn’t just happen,” he said. “There is a concerted effort while we are growing to not to lose the entrepreneurial culture of the organization,” he said. Thome attributes the company’s growth and success to Cellular Sales’ workforce at all levels. Keeping a culture of growth remains a high priority. That means guidelines, but not rules, and staying flexible while trying to standardize where it makes sense. It’s a vibe Thome describes as entrepreneurial but with a “get it done” attitude. For now, Cellular Sales keeps growing and the former military brat, thrilled to be back in Knoxville, is helping to lead the charge. “My wife and I realized we feel like we can call Knoxville home,” the father of two said. “I finally feel like I’ve moved back home and it’s nice to feel settled.”